“Baptism: Miraculous Makeover, not Magic”
Nobody wants to be perceived as a fake. Our culture values authenticity, genuineness, the ability to be real and be yourself. Yet as we grow up we discover there can be earthly rewards for wearing a mask and concealing our true feelings, or for conjuring up an impressive presentation even when we’re not well prepared. The desire for worldly “success” and peers and organizations may pressure us to adopt a persona or put on a front that’s different from the real “us” in order to please external forces and convey an ‘acceptable’ appearance. But in the process we become enslaved to patterns that are other than God intended for us to become. The Good News is that, when we allow Jesus Christ to take charge in our life, He frees us from these distorting fleeting forces, so we can walk with Him and discover the wonder of operating as His agent, the person God made us to be in the first place.
On the French Riviera, it’s such an important status symbol to have a balcony on an apartment that it is quite common to see balconies painted on the walls of apartment houses. People even paint wet laundry hanging on a clothesline, just to give it a touch of reality. So hypocrisy is a facade, a mask, a false front painted just to give it a touch of reality. But you’d better not try standing on the balcony or wearing those painted clothes! And when we’re baptized and join the church, it needs to be the real thing – or people will tell we’re ‘phoney’ soon enough.
In Samaria there lived a clever decoy named Simon. He was a sorcerer, a magician; his tricks and gimmicks were so amazing that his power was likely beyond just crafty sleight of hand. Somehow Simon had dabbled in the black arts and negotiated earthly power in exchange for giving ground to Satan. The same thing happens today in the realm of mediums, witches, and fortune-tellers: their power is actual because the spiritual world is real, and has its dark side. This shouldn’t surprise anyone with a Biblical worldview, because Jesus is portrayed as confronting Satan’s works and minions.
Simon had gone so far and become so proficient at his black arts that people thought he was truly amazing; vv9-10 say he boasted that he was someone great, “and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the divine power known as the Great Power."” But the sorcerer wasn’t divine, he was a decoy, a clever trap of the Enemy to entangle people in fear and witchcraft. He was the local ‘witch doctor’ if you will. When we lived in Congo, people still fear the animist spell-makers; even packages sent by mail were viewed as possibly carrying hexes that had been put on them, that would curse and injure the recipient when the parcel was opened.
Simon had a lot at stake in his evil-based power. It gave him a name, that he was “someone great”; it gave him prestige and attention. With the Enemy’s prop, he was a Somebody. He could manipulate people. He had decided to sell out to Satan in exchange for being his powerful puppet. But the power was counterfeit - not really divine at all.
Faking it can be fatal. This week in Hamilton, police raided a drug store and seized quantities of a substance being sold as a heart medication. The drug manufacturer’s lawyer says it’s obviously not the right stuff - the pills are actually the wrong colour! Tests continue, as 2 people who took the medication died. The Ontario College of Pharmacists wants the store that allegedly sold the hokey meds shut down immediately. It’s an act of trust to believe that the material in the little white pills you buy actually is a mineral, or Tylenol, or whatever the label says on the box. To not be able to trust your pharmacist would be pretty scarey!
God’s people also need to be careful not to be ‘faking it’. Like Simon, we too are tempted to give way to the dark forces for the sake of short-term gain. If we’re not really yielded to the Lord and obeying Him, we become phoneys, decoys, hypocrites. Someone has remarked, “Hypocrisy is like a pin: it’s pointed in one direction, yet it’s headed in another.” (!)
Along comes Philip, an effective evangelist. Back in Jerusalem, a great persecution of Christians had broken out after the death of Stephen. Saul was dragging believers off to jail. Realizing sainthood is not guaranteed by just being a sitting duck, Christians fled for their lives throughout the region, preaching wherever they went. Philip came to Simon’s town in Samaria and proclaimed Christ, accompanied by various miraculous signs: vv 7-8 say, “With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.So there was great joy in that city.”
Simon had been the devil’s decoy, but Philip presented the Real McCoy. The power of the gospel made dramatic changes in people’s lives, freeing them from spiritual slavery, healing ailments, giving great joy. Simon’s power was eclipsed; Philip’s miracles were so far beyond his own twisted abilities that v13 states, “Simon himself believed and was baptized.And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.”
Note the content of the message Philip was announcing that caused such radical happenings. V12, “He preached the good news of the kingdom of God...” God has a Kingdom (this was Jesus’ theme too). There’s another dimension to life, more than just this passing world with its boarded broken windows and grass struggling through the cracks in the sidewalks. Jesus described God’s Kingdom as both “near” and “in your midst” (Mt 4:17; Lk 17:21). It comes in completeness after our death; this breathing human fleshly life is not all there is. Judgment awaits, and Jesus was resurrected as proof another life awaits. But the Kingdom is also near or among us in the present spiritual dimension of life: God has a territory, a realm invisible to our current eyes, there is a spiritual battle going on around us. We’re not just predetermined gene complexes acting out chemically governed reflexes as ‘meat puppets’: we have been created with free will that can respond to spiritual influences. God invites us through repentance to step into His dominion rather than be held captive by the prince of this world.
Lloyd J Ogilvie describes the Kingdom this way. “For Jesus, the kingdom meant the absolute reign and rule of God...Only by beginning life all over, with a complete surrender, could anyone experience the promise that the kingdom of the Lord’s reign and rule would be within him or her....Once the Lord reigns supreme in a person, a whole new agenda is given...We offer the Lord no place if it is second place. The natural result of putting the Lord at the centre of our wills is that the kingdom’s priorities become our goals...It is the Lord’s strategy for life...The kingdom gives us a sure guide for all of life. When we put the Lord’s will first, people and their needs follow in close second. And when we begin to care deeply for people, our society looms before us as a focus of our obedience, and social justice becomes our third priority. Anything which dehumanizes or debilitates people is now our call to action.”
Also, Philip preached “the good news of...the name of Jesus Christ.” We are baptized in His name, labelled or branded as belonging to Him. In a spiritually-aware world, especially that of a sorcerer such as Simon, names are very important: knowing the name conveys power. When Peter was challenged about his first miracle, the authorities asked, “By what power or what name did you do this?” Peter replied, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed...There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Ac 4:7,10,12) It was the name that was instrumental in the healing, it channelled Jesus’ restoring power into the crippled beggar’s feet and ankles. Now Philip was seeing the same power of Jesus’ name deployed in casting out spirits and healing the handicapped.
Miracles are much more than magic. Ogilvie notes: “The people of Samaria were entangled in magic and sorcery, not unlike people today who are seeking shortcuts for meeting their needs. We all want a quick trip to wonderland. There is only one power to release us from possession of evil and magic - the name of Jesus! Once we accept Christ as Saviour and Lord, we realize that a battle starts inside us. The possession of old habits, ways of thinking, modes of relating, values that dominate our lives – all need Christ’s liberation and reconciliation around Him as the new centre of our lives. The name of Jesus helps us. It is the one-word course in how to pray. All things are possible if we pray in the name of Jesus...When Philip preached the name, he shared the secret of unlocking the power of the Lord for specific situations. He also gave them the powerful tool against evil possession of their minds and behaviour. The one thing Satan cannot abide is the name of Jesus. His name is our secret weapon for the battle with evil.”
The other element in the Samaritan transformation was the filling of the Holy Spirit. vv 14-17, Peter and John were sent by the church at Jerusalem, came and laid on hands and prayed for the believers to receive the Holy Spirit. This would actually be to a fuller extent because “no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1Co 12:3) However you cross the theological t’s and dot the I’s, the upshot is the Samaritans received their own little Pentecost experience.
In Acts 2(3), the Holy Spirit came with “what seemed to be tongues of fire”. God has a long memory and a sense of humour, because back in Luke 9(54) a Samaritan village had rejected Jesus, there being strong ongoing racism between the Jews and their half-breed neighbours. John and his brother asked Jesus if he wanted them ‘to call down fire from heaven to destroy them’. Now, here it’s John who’s praying for these same Samaritans to receive the fire of God’s anointing, a much more edifying kindling! Rather than a curse of destruction, John was God’s instrument in conveying lasting blessing that would build them up. The Lord was working a little miracle in His apostle’s heart to rid him of his resentments and racism.
Sold Out to the Lord, or Bound to Perish?
To become a Christian involves owning Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. It’s not enough just to want His help, on our terms; we need to make Him Lord of every aspect of our being, totally sold out. Although Simon to some extent believed and was baptized, seeing the Spirit given to others roused up his old nature’s ambition all over again. The baptism hadn’t ‘taken’ very well. Nothing wrong with the ritual – just that Simon hadn’t truly repented.
Vv18-19, “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."” The old conjurer was at it again, trying to bribe his way back to being the ‘Great Power’. Magic works like that, sorcery is a business trade-off: sell your soul to the Devil and he’ll give you lots of power - at his disposal. Robinson comments, Simon “took Peter to be like himself, a mountebank performer who would sell his tricks for enough money.” But that’s not the way of the Kingdom of grace. God’s power can’t be bought, nor will the Almighty be manipulated. Prayer is not a magical incantation to get the divine Genie to do whatever we want.
Simon chose the wrong guy to ask. Peter was very conscious that his special treasure was not earthly wealth but God’s spiritual blessing and commission. In Acts 3(6) he’d responded to the beggar, “Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."” The name, the authorizing as Messiah’s representative, was Peter’s true power. In Acts 5(3), Peter had rebuked Ananias for lying about the price of a field he was donating - and Ananias dropped dead on the spot. No, Peter was not about to be snared by an offer of a bribe.
He upbraids Simon with characteristic fishermanly bluntness, vv 20-23: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” Consider this outburst carefully. Money perishes, it’s corroding lucre, totally useless with regard to the next life if it’s just accumulated. Peter prophetically looked into Simon’s heart and spotted greed and the poison of bitterness prompting this wicked ploy. A heart that wasn’t right or ‘straight’ before God – it was bent, corrupt, needed desperately to repent, pray and turn away from sin. For it was currently “captive” or bound to unrighteousness as with a chain.
Simon had been baptized. But baptism is useless without a change of heart. We all will perish and corrode like our dimes and pennies unless we sell out to God 100%. That means we need to turn away from sin and let go of all our ambitions, our wanting to make a name for ourselves, our greed, our bitterness and resentments. No matter who hurt us, or how bad, no matter how justified we are at being angry for what happened or what’s been taken from us. It’s nothing compared to how we rejected and scorned the Son of God – and His marvelous forgiveness of us in spite of all our shortcomings. Baptism in water is just an outer picture of the forgiveness and washing of our sin-struck heart that’s so desperately needed. It’s only when we admit our need that Jesus can start to help us.
In the Middle Ages, corruption in the church hierarchy resulted in offices or bishoprics being purchased with money or influence. This traditionally has been termed “simony”. In our situation, we may want the power of the Spirit for our own preconceived ideas and predetermined direction. Simony in this sense means the desire to have the life Christ promises but without surrendering all our life to Him. It’s wanting the Lord on our own terms without surrendering our volitional determination to run our own lives. Ogilvie says, “Acceptance of Christ as our Saviour will not last long unless He is made Lord of every facet and relationship of our lives...People have a capacity to let down the moat bridge of their carefully castled minds and hearts and want to take Christ into their lives as one more trophy, but not as the Lord of the castle. He is given a side room as an honoured guest, but they are still running the castle!”
The power of the name of Jesus is only available to those who are 100% sold out to Him. Anything less is counterfeit, faking it.
Credible in Context for Christ
A father complained about the amount of time his family spent in front of the television. His children watched the cartoons and neglected schoolwork. His wife preferred soap operas to housework. His solution? “As soon as the baseball season’s over, I’m going to pull the plug.”
Holiness implies a measure of genuineness, credibility, not saying one thing and doing another. The story of Slippery Simon teaches us that baptism without obedience bombs. Repentance inside, radically re-orienting ourselves to God’s Kingdom and the authority of Jesus’ name, is what results in lasting change as His children. Then we can be real to people, our authentic selves as the Lord created us to be, re-sculpted from bentness to beauty in Him. Regardless of the context or pressures around us.
Nick Blackwood, 54, is a singer/songwriter from Alberta. He’s had some struggles – break-up of his first marriage, death of his 16-year-old son in a car accident; now his wife suffers from cancer. But Nick made a commitment to Christ 3 decades ago through the Jesus People movement. As a musician, he’s carved out a niche by playing Christian biker songs. Recently his song “If We Don’t Go!” was chosen as a theme song for the 2000-member Christian Motorcyclists Association of Canada. The CMA regularly takes part as a Christian witness at secular biker rallies. (Now there’s a ‘Samaria’ for ya – how’d you like to be a missionary in that culture?) CMA members go to the rallies with a servant’s attitude, helping out with the biker games, taking money at the gate, and pitching in wherever they’re needed.
Picture the scene with the help of Blackwood’s song: “Smoke is drifting aimlessly as we pull into the grounds / There’s a party happening everywhere as the music starts to pound / The smell of marijuana seems to linger in the air / while the wire baskets overflow with empty cans of beer./ Now some would say, ‘It’s not the place a Christian ought to be’ / And to tell the truth, we’d probably be the first ones to agree / But if we don’t go, then how will they know? / The only Jesus they see is the Jesus in you and in me.”
While the rallies do attract outlaw gang members, Nick says, “Most bikers are just out to have fun. And you know, a lot of them are hurting, and a way that they get through that hurt is riding their motorcycle.” The witness of CMA members at the rallies has resulted in a number of bikers committing their lives to Christ; the CMA even has ex-Hell’s Angels members among their ranks. Nick emphasizes, “We don’t try to hit people over the head with a Bible; we just love ‘em and we let the Holy Spirit do the rest.”
I like that – sounds like Jesus: “love ‘em and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.” Philip, Peter, and John did it; so can we, as we give ourselves to be real for Jesus’ sake. He’s still healing lives through those who are yielded to the power of His name and Spirit. Let’s pray.